Kingston Upon Hull
Hull, or Kingston Upon Hull to give it its proper name, sits on the banks of the River Hull where it meets the Humber estuary with its famous suspension bridge. The city has had a serious facelift in recent years, and it’s become quite a vibrant place to be, with the accolade of 2017 UK City of Culture.
The town grew up on trading in wool and wine, and from fishing and whaling, but it never prospered to the extent that some of the bigger ports did. But that kind of keeps it unique, and if you stroll around the city and look up around the shops and cafes, you’ll notice there’s some very inspiring Victorian architecture, like the arched roof of Hull Paragon Interchange Station, the Royal Hotel and the Ferens Art Gallery. Quite a contrast to the striking computer controlled fountains and lighting in Queen Victoria Square! There’s a cobbled Old Town with several museums including Wilberforce House (birthplace of William Wilberforce) and one on a deep sea trawler.
Perhaps Hull’s biggest attraction is its awesome aquarium, The Deep, where 3,500 fish live; it’s housed in a glass and aluminium building that looks like a shark looking out over the estuary. Along the Marina is the Fruit Market where all the free spirits hang out; it’s all very vintage and arty down there with the once derelict warehouses now home to quirky shops, art galleries, and places to eat; it’s the cool part of town.
Just outside of Hull you’ll find some excellent venues perfect for corporate and social events, with a backdrop of scenic East Yorkshire countryside; Lazaat is a boutique hotel in landscaped grounds, Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel is a converted 19th century manor house within easy reach of the M62 and Humberside Airport.